No Programs! Still.

[Sir Trevor]

Just to let everyone know.
The Faire has no programs this weekend.
They have a printout of the show schedule available (most people had to ask to get one when they bought their tickets though.)
So try to get one, or better yet, print yourself out a copy from the official site.
www.medievalfaire.com/dailyGrid.htm

or my site
www.tylisaari.com/medieval/glmf07/time07.htm

[Scarlett]

So, can we assume programs will be available this weekend? Or should we err on the side of caution and print one from your site?

[Sir Trevor]

I'll see what I can find out.

[Lady Catharine]

And.....any news have you for us?

[Sir Trevor]

Still no programs.
Though they are at the printers now, and should be at faire next weekend.

They were handing out a show grid that also had a map on the back today though.

[CelticWench]

I got yelled at today by a patron about this....I was over at Fiona's Fineries, and a lady came up to me with last year's program and started asking me where certain performers were. When I realized what was going on, I asked her if she had the current printout. She waved it at me, all crumpled up, and told me it was "useless", and then stomped off.

(Since I'm helping/working now, I haven't seen every corner of the faire, or else I might have been more help....I did tell her to find a cast member or someone in a staff shirt, but that wasn't what she wanted to hear....)

[Lady Catharine]

CW,Isnt it grand dealing with the public?
I do it every day---after many many years , you know how to difuse the situation and have them calm down.
Sorry you had to experience this from someone who shot their mouth off first instead of asking where can I talk to somene about this.
All emotion..
Next in line please?_____________________

[bunbun / Hank]

HI
I was told we will have them net weekend.
Bunnie

[Sir Trevor]

Yes, they are at the printer and should be in well before next weekend.

[SwordSchoolGroupie]

It's still inexusable. I think the printout is worthless too. I've been around a while and I wasn't sure what it was trying to say. add the fact that it is a mundane probably first visit to shire and no map included the first weekend and you get bad publicity. This year's faire is so good but it won't matter if the public gets a bad impression. The map swapped out the information about the acts, the rating system, and the information about the special events. It's a no win situation. A faire of this caliber really can't skimp on the PR. Having the best entertainment in the world won't do any good if the newbies can't find it.

[stephanieann]

So how does everyone like the programs?? I think its neat the new tri folded way they did it, easier to tuck away if need be.

[Kayla Marie]

I like the programs better than the mere sheet of paper. But I wish they had the list of cast members on it, like they did last year. But I guess it looks nice.

[SwordSchoolGroupie]

I would consider it a tri-fold brochure but not a 'program'. The programs were jam packed full of information that we just don;t have access to this year.

[bunbun / Hank]

I have to agree with Sword School Groupie.The brochure is nothing but a fancier version of the scrape of paper they handed out the first two weekends. The print on the show schedule is so small lest you have 20/20 vision you cannot read it, and it tells nothing of the various characters and who plays them.

I would hope by NEXT year they can find a reliable printer and go back to the format they had in previous years as this brochure is still pretty much worthless. HANK.

[Sir Trevor]

As far as I know, that is what the programs will be like from now on.
That was the plan before the delays with getting them printed.
Basically a monetary decision.
Printing isn't cheap. Those bools they used to have with all those pages, as well as the staples, cost a lot of money.
And they threw tons of them away every year.
I know there were 4 boxes of them in the feast hall when we started clean-up this spring.
And Sarah said there were more boxes in the office as well.
And if you stop and think about it. How many people off the street really look at more than the map, the show description, and the show schedule?


(I don't know how much they cost them but just for an idea for reference.
Back in 2004 when I still worked at the shop and was involved with the purchasing of stuff for our assebly lines. We had a multi-page instruction book. Similar size and page count, except it was B&W and on regular paper, not the slick paper like the old programs.
Our cost on those was about $120 per thousand. With a minimum order quantity of 20,000.
By comparison, a single sheet folded like the new program was just under $40 per thousand wtih a minimum order quantity of 5000.
I can only imagine what the old programs used to cost the faire. But I am sure, they weren't cheap.)